The IETF Profile URI Registry

Profiles, as defined by , can be used to signal support for additional semantics, such as constraints, conventions, extensions, or any other aspects that do not alter the basic media type semantics. Profiles are identified by a URI and can thus be created without central coordination. Similarly to media types and link relation types it is, in some cases, beneficial to centrally manage profile URIs to ensure interoperability and decrease the coupling between clients and servers. This allows the independent evolution of clients and servers as both are coupled to these central contracts instead of being coupled to each other. Therefore, this document establishes an IANA registry for profile URIs.

All elements in this registry require a URI in order to be registered. The meaning of the profile URI must be documented in a permanent and readily available public specification in sufficient detail so that interoperability between independent implementations is possible ("Specification Required" per ). An exemplary registration request can be found in .

The following is an example registration request for the profile URI http://example.com/profiles/example. This is a request to IANA to please register the profile URI "http://example.com/profiles/example" in the Profile URI Registry according [this document]. Profile URI: http://example.com/profiles/example Common Name: Exemplary Profile URI Description: An exemplary profile URI registration. Specification Document: [this document]

This document establishes the Profile URI registry. The registration procedure for new entries requires a request in the form of the following template and is "Specification Required" per . Instructions for a registrant to request the registration of a profile URI are in . The underlying registry data (e.g., the XML file) must include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions (). The registration template is: Profile URI: The URI that identifies the registered profile. Common Name: The name by which the profile being registered is generally known. Description: A short description of the profile Specification Document: Reference to the document that specifies the URI, preferably including a URI that can be used to retrieve a copy of the document. An indication of the relevant sections may also be included but is not required. Notes: [optional]

The Profile URI registry's initial contents are: Profile URI: urn:example:profile-uri Common Name: Exemplary Profile Description: A profile to be used in examples. Specification Document: [this document] Profile URI: http://dublincore.org/documents/2008/08/04/dc-html/ Common Name: Dublin Core HTML meta data profile Description: A set of conventions by which a Dublin Core metadata description set can be can be represented within an (X)HTML Web page using (X)HTML elements and attributes. Specification Document: Profile URI: http://www.w3.org/ns/json-ld#expanded Common Name: Expanded JSON-LD Description: A profile URI to request or signal expanded JSON-LD document form. Specification Document: Profile URI: http://www.w3.org/ns/json-ld#compacted Common Name: Compacted JSON-LD Description: A profile URI to request or signal compacted JSON-LD document form. Specification Document: Profile URI: http://www.w3.org/ns/json-ld#flattened Common Name: Flattened JSON-LD Description: A profile URI to request or signal flattened JSON-LD document form. Specification Document:

There are no additional security considerations beyond those already inherent to using URIs. Security considerations for URIs in general can be found in .

Note to RFC Editor: Please remove this section before publication.

Seed registry with the profile URIs defined in and .

Do not establish a new IETF URN Sub-namespace anymore.

Use HTTP URI instead of URN in example registration request to make it clearer that not only URNs can be registered. Move security considerations to the end.

Thanks to Dave Cridland for valuable comments and suggestions.